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Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA)

Education and money relation concept. Isolated on white. High quality 3D render.

November 2023

Author: Cassie Stinson

In 2022, the General Assembly approved a new state funding formula for K-12 schools to replace the Basic Education Program (BEP). The Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) is a student-based funding formula that was used to allocate state funds to school districts beginning with the 2023-24 school year. Like the BEP, TISA is a funding formula rather than a spending plan.

TISA has four components: base funding, weighted funding, direct funding, and outcomes funding.

Like the BEP, TISA continues the requirement for local matching funds. Collectively, districts are responsible for 30 percent of the base funding and weighted funding amounts generated by TISA. The state provides the other 70 percent. For the direct funding component and the outcomes funding component, however, the state provides 100 percent of the funds.

This special online collection contains 11 resources about TISA, including an interactive dashboard, a video tutorial, a flowchart, infographics, and other documents. 

TISA Overview

The TISA Interactive Dashboard provides an overview of how each component is calculated. Data can be filtered by selecting a school district from the drop-down menu.

The TISA Flowchart outlines the TISA formula, showing a breakdown of how each component relates to the others.

The TISA Glossary includes the most common TISA terms with a short explanation for each entry. 

TISA provides weighted funding for districts that are classified as small and/or sparse. This list shows the small and sparse status for each school district in Tennessee. 

The TISA Video Tutorial provides a breakdown and explanation of every component of the TISA calculation and how each component is calculated. 

The infographic shows an overview of TISA funding at the state level. It includes a breakdown of TISA funding by component, the total funding provided by the state and the local match requirement, as well as a map of each county's fiscal capacity.

The infographic provides an overview of the Unique Learning Needs (ULN) category of the TISA weighted funding component. Students with disabilities, English learners, and students with characteristics of dyslexia generate additional funding through the ULN weight.

The infographic provides an overview of the direct funding component of the TISA calculation. Direct funding is intended to support students in key priority areas, like K-3 literacy and grade 4 literacy support. Direct funding is 100 percent state-funded and does not require a local contribution.

The infographic provides an overview of the outcomes funding component of the TISA calculation. Outcomes funding provides districts with additional funding based on student academic performance. Outcomes funding is 100 percent state-funded and does not require a local contribution.

The infographic provides an overview of how fiscal capacity is calculated and applied to the local match requirement under TISA. Fiscal capacity estimates the ability of a county to contribute financially to K-12 education.

The infographic provides an overview of two additional sources of funding under TISA: educator salary increases and fast-growth funds. Both categories are funded 100 percent by the state.

This legislative brief examines how funding for K-12 education is changing under TISA and describes what’s in general law, what’s in the annual appropriations act, and what’s covered in agency rules.